Digital Awareness
It can easy to feel like your brand is lost online. Whether it’s that there aren’t enough followers on your Instagram or you don’t have the base you want for consistent sales, the effort put in doesn’t always feel like the outcome. Because of this, many of us turn to paid solutions, which while useful, can also feel like guesswork. However, that’s why we’re giving out not only a few free methods to boost brand awareness but do so quickly and effectively. Check them out below:
Get More Active On Social
One of the most popular strategies for landing more of a digital presence, people have built entire businesses off of promoting on social media. Make no mistake, the level of awareness and engagement you can build from social is unprecedented, especially if you know where your niche audience sits. However, that all starts with becoming more strategic with your thinking and approach.
As you’ve most likely established social media accounts for your brand, one of the first steps you should take is asking yourself if your branding and presentation is consistent across the board. From there, look at the demographics you’ve currently formed versus the ones you aim to build; for example, if I wanted to go after a younger base, then promoting heavily on Instagram is going to be my top priority because as noted by Pew Research, nearly 71 percent of 18 to 24-year-old internet users are currently on Instagram. In taking research like this, it’s also not a bad idea to hedge your bets amongst different demographics at an attempt to start broad and work your way into the most specific customer profile. While this might take a little bit of work in slowly building up, it’s all well worth the ROI, as a built-in fanbase on social media can do wonders for sales.
Start A Podcast
Even if you’re not particularly a fan of listening to podcasts, the value that these consumers bring is insurmountable. Perhaps the most striking commonality amongst podcast listeners is that they’re loyal, with 80 percent of fans listening to all or most episodes of their favorite podcasts (as noted by Podcast Insights). And although it’ll be a minute before you end up in someone’s podcast RSS feed, that’s not to say your brand shouldn’t get a headstart on building out a podcasting program…but before you do, it’s imperative to know the basics behind a successful podcast.
While you might be wondering “what makes a podcast” or “what is a podcast RSS feed,” the biggest thing you should consider is what people are willing to listen to from your brand. After all, the best podcasts are the ones built around a central theme or idea, where they then are able to bring about different guests and stories that fall under that main topic. Furthermore, building a podcast involves a fair amount of consistency, which is why you should be upfront with your planning and booking before you launch, providing enough runway to broadcast an entire season. Even though you might be thinking this is a wildly competitive field, with the right execution, it’s actually pretty feasible for your brand to pick up an audience that can be built for years to come.
Begin A Blog
While most entrepreneurs would admit that starting a blog is something they should, often do they know how to implement a content marketing strategy behind it. A successful content strategy can not only bolster your presence, but lead generation as well because as noted by the Content Marketing Institute, small businesses with blogs get 126 percent more lead growth than those without. This isn’t to say you should start a blog, write a few articles, then hope things start to build; rather, you should keep up with a consistent plan. Yes, building a blog can be a long-term project, but one that’s well worth the clout.
In constructing your blog, the first thing you need to ask yourself is who the general audience you’re aiming to attract. For example, a b2c fashion company might have influential interviews with tastemakers on their blog, while a b2b thought leader might write about predictive analyses of their field. That’s not to say there isn’t wiggle room to explore what you think would be fun, but there should be a certain direction you’re trying to take things based on your needs. Brainstorm a bit on the question of “what do you want to be known for and why?”, as that’s a core aspect to any successful blog; because once you find that, you’re off to the races.
Build A Mailing List
Finally, although we often think of email marketing as a boring, spam-like practice, it’s actually one of the most efficient methods out. According to Constant Contact, for every dollar spent on email marketing, an average of $38 is seen in return, which is pretty staggering figure considering how often we find ourselves hitting ‘delete’ when a marketing message comes into our inbox. However, when the right demographic is targeted with quality content, it’s easy to see why some people keep subscribing, eventually to hit “buy.”
If you haven’t already, create a call-to-action in prevalent place on your homepage to sign-up for your mailing list, possibly even offering a discount code or free shipping for doing so. Additionally, create a content calendar for your list, including how often you’re going to be sending it out, as well as what’s going to be listed for sale/discounted. As you start to get more into the practice of planning these out, also look into some email marketing tools such as MailChimp, especially so you can start designing templates, as well as track results. With enough of a routine set, building upon your mailing list will become a cinch, and you’ll have a healthy list of subscribers in no time.
What are some methods you’ve used to gain awareness for your brand online? Comment with your insights below!
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
Online Men’s Lifestyle Magazine on Gear, Grooming, Girls, Gadgets
